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Tamron’s new suite of digitally-integrated-zoom lenses allow today’s photographer to achieve the images they’ve always dreamed of. Tamron tech reps put the three newest additions (the AF70-300mm Di Macro, the AF28-200mm XR Di, and the AF55-200 Di II) to the test. |
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 28-200mm |
 28-200mm |
 28-200mm at MFD |
70-300mm at 1:2 Macro
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 55-200mm |
 55-200mm |
 70-300mm |
 70-300mm |
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| AF55-200mm
F/4-5.6 Di II
by Jennifer Gidman Zumpano |
AF28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 XR Di | AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di | |||
Forget about the conventional fixed-focal lengths you may have relied on in the past, or conventional film-camera lenses that you made do with on your digital SLR. Tamron has been enhancing and perfecting its ever-growing Di and Di II lines of lenses for more than five years, and the arrival of the 70-300 Di, 28-200 XR Di, and 55-200 Di II only underscores the power of these digitally integrated designs. |
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Not only will photographers enjoy improved resolution, minimized peripheral light fall-off, and reduction of chromatic aberrations—they’ll also be able to take advantage of increased versatility that will allow them to capture images in nearly every application, from wildlife and nature to portraiture. Tamron tech reps André Costantini, Jeff Allen, and Ruben Dario Cruz used the three lenses on various field trips to highlight their strengths. |
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The Di Difference |
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The Tamron 70-300mm Di lens offers an exceptional telephoto range and a 1:2 macro feature, which allows for high power magnification. Photographers just starting out with a basic camera kit with a starter lens, for example, may want to invest in the 70-300mm lens if they want to expand their telephoto zoom range to a higher power.
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Tamron tech reps Jeff Allen and Ruben Dario Cruz have both used the lens to showcase their specialties, including wildlife and nature photography. Dario Cruz wanted to train the 70-300mm lens on a single flower without getting too many distracting elements from the background in his shot, so he took advantage of the 70-300’s telephoto power to set the flower off from its surroundings. “That nice blurred effect is a function of three things: focal length, aperture, and distance,” explains Costantini. “The longer the lens (i.e., the more telephoto), the wider the aperture, and the closer you get to your subject, the shallower the depth-of-field, meaning the more blurred you can get the background.”
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This selective focus can make for dramatic flower images, like Dario Cruz’s shot, and can also work well with portraits as well by isolating subjects from their background. Jeff Allen crept up close (but not too close) to a curious gazelle and a pair of unsuspecting rhinos with his lens. “By using a telephoto macro like the 70-300, you also have a greater working distance from your subject, which can be helpful if you’re shooting wildlife who like their space,” says Costantini. |
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| Wildlife and landscape photographers will also want to check out the Tamron 28-200mm XR Di lens to maximize their picture-taking capabilities. “The 28-200 XR Di is a great overall focal length that Tamron helped to revolutionize over the past 10-plus years,” explains Costantini. “It’s in its fifth generation integrating XR technology, but with Di coatings to optimize image quality when used with digital SLRs.” |
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The lens is not as powerful as its bigger brother, the 28-300mm, but it boasts a 7X zoom ratio and full coverage for up to 35mm sensor size (the equivalent field of view of a 42-300mm lens on a digital SLR with an APS-C sensor). “This is a nice normal-to-telephoto focal length good for wildlife and landscape, and it’s macro-capable of 1:4 magnification at 200mm,” says Costantini. |
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This well-designed and affordable lens allows photographers like Allen to capture cascading waterfalls on the wider-angle setting, and Dario Cruz to go macro on a tiger-striped caterpillar on the telephoto end—all without missing any of the detail that you’d desire in such shots. |
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If you’re looking to capture images of family fun in the sun, sporting events, and portraits, the new 55-200mm Di II lens may do the trick. This new, lightweight lens is an affordable way for photographers to expand their lens collection for telephoto applications if they’re using a digital camera with an APS-C-size chip (Di-II lenses are designed exclusively for use with these types of DSLRs), especially if your DSLR has just a starter lens. |
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“This lens is equivalent to the 70-300mm lens in field of view when compared to traditional 35mm standard,” explains Costantini. “It contains a nine-blade diaphragm, which enhances the blurred background effect that you can achieve when shooting portraits—generally the more blades, the softer and smoother the effect.”
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| The 55-200’s macro capability is 1:3.5, which is slightly better then the 28-200 (though not as powerful as the 70-300). It also provides the perfect opportunity for shooting people, as Costantini discovered while chasing a rambunctious toddler around in the grass. “The 55-200 is a great range for shooting everything from full body to head and shoulders and even close-ups,” he says. “And the Di coatings optimize the optics to work with the sensor for superior image quality.” | |||||
| For more information on these three lenses, go to www.tamron.com. For a $30 rebate on the 55-200mm lens (through August 31, 2006), fill out the rebate form at http://www.tamron.com/lenses/rebates.asp. | |||||
Tip Box Macro Without Movement If you’re attempting to zoom in on some of the Earth’s smallest creatures or most aromatic wildflowers, you may want some artistic blur (like isolating your subject from the background), but you definitely don’t want unintentional blur that results from too much camera shake or movement from your subject. To minimize these effects: —Use a sturdy tripod. —Take advantage of either your camera’s self-timer or use a remote so your body movement doesn’t affect the final image. —Freeze motion on a breezy day by shooting at high shutter speeds (or wait till the wind dies down). —Shoot multiple frames to ensure you get at least one good shot. |
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